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Rules of Engagement

Play trailer Poster for Rules of Engagement R 2000 2h 8m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
37% Tomatometer 89 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Col. Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) is a 30-year Marine veteran: a decorated officer with combat experience in Vietnam, Beirut and Desert Storm -- a patriot, a hero. But now, the country he served so well has put him on trial for a rescue mission that went terribly wrong. For his attorney, he has chosen Marine Col. Hays Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones), a comrade-in-arms who owes his life to Childers.
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Rules of Engagement

Rules of Engagement

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Critics Consensus

The script is unconvincing and the courtroom action is unegaging.

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Critics Reviews

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Philip Wuntch Dallas Morning News Jan 1, 2000
Reconfirms the talent of onetime wunderkind director William Friedkin. Go to Full Review Ted Gideonse Newsweek Jan 1, 2000
A run-of-the-mill legal thriller that hopes to be a little more. Go to Full Review Paul Clinton (CNN.com) CNN.com Jan 1, 2000
At its best, Rules Of Engagement is merely bad. Go to Full Review Peter Sobczynski The Spool Oct 5, 2023
Stephen Gaghan’s screenplay...huffs and puffs but never really gets anywhere.  Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Nov 5, 2022
2.5/4
...an often exceedingly deliberate drama that does, at a running time of just over two hours, feel substantially longer than necessary... Go to Full Review Tony Black Cultural Conversation Feb 16, 2021
3/5
A military drama scared to face its demons. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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thiago s @Thiagostone Feb 9, 2026 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Mickey B. @Mickerdoo Dec 25, 2025 Pretty well guessed the movie after the first scene. Some of the acting felt script dependent. Watch A Few Good Men instead. See more Clarice F. @clarice25 Nov 17, 2025 Great cast. Would happily re watch it. See more Mary S @RT31692299 Sep 9, 2024 The epilogue lacks details of how the authorities caught Sokal. See more Liane C @RT06946860 Sep 28, 2023 Excellent movie and cast.Very intense.Samuel L Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones were a great team in this movie.So tragic to see what its like to have ones own country and military that they honorably serve and protect, turn on them in the face of corrupt politics and leave their fellow marine "out to dry". See more Steve D @RT35616104 Feb 7, 2023 Aggressively average. See more Read all reviews
Rules of Engagement

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Cast & Crew

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William Friedkin

Director

Tommy Lee Jones

Colonel Hayes Hodges

Samuel L. Jackson

Colonel Terry L. Childers

Guy Pearce

Major Mark Biggs

Bruce Greenwood

National Security Advisor William Sokal

Blair Underwood

Captain Lee

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Rules of Engagement

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Rules of Engagement

Guy Pearce is Maj. Mark Biggs, a prosecutor for the military in Paramount's Rules Of Engagement Samuel L. Jackson as Col. Terry Childers in Paramount's Rules Of Engagement Anne Archer as Ambassador Mourain's wife and Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Hayes Hodges in Paramount's Rules Of Engagement Guy Pearce and director William Friedkin on the set of Paramount's Rules Of Engagement The country of Morocco was used as a stand-in for Yemen in Paramount's Rules Of Engagement Col. Hayes Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones) travels to Yemen to investigate whathappened in Paramount's Rules Of Engagement Samuel L. Jackson as Col. Terry Childers and Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Hayes Hodges in Paramount's Rules Of Engagement Samuel L. Jackson as Col. Terry Childers and Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Hayes Hodges in Paramount's Rules Of Engagement Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Hayes Hodges and Samuel L. Jackson as Col. Terry Childers in Paramount's Rules Of Engagement Samuel L. Jackson as Col. Terry Childers and Tommy Lee Jones as Col. Hayes Hodges in Paramount's Rules Of Engagement View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Col. Terry Childers (Samuel L. Jackson) is a 30-year Marine veteran: a decorated officer with combat experience in Vietnam, Beirut and Desert Storm -- a patriot, a hero. But now, the country he served so well has put him on trial for a rescue mission that went terribly wrong. For his attorney, he has chosen Marine Col. Hays Hodges (Tommy Lee Jones), a comrade-in-arms who owes his life to Childers.
Director
William Friedkin
Producer
Scott Rudin, Richard D. Zanuck
Screenwriter
James Webb, Stephen Gaghan
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount Pictures, Seven Arts Pictures, Roe Productions KG
Rating
R (Violence|Language)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 31, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$61.3M
Runtime
2h 8m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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